Blogs by Sara L Russell
A healthier lifestyle.
9/27/2003 3:34:22 AM
A non-sporty person's journey into healthier, more active living.
Dear Blog,
I have been getting into a healthier lifestyle in the past year or so. It started in July 2002 - I had become overweight after working for someone I didn't get on with. I knew that I had gallstones but not how painful they could be, until that night in July when the doctor (not my usual one) had to come out to my house at 2.00am to give me a pain-killing injection. He told me that I should cut down fat in my diet and exercise more, then see if I still might need an operation the following February.
I began to swim regularly, and eat low fat versions of everything. We live near a good supermarket, so all I had to do was just read the fat content on everything. Hot dogs are OK if only 4g of fat each (many tinned ones are not too bad) and onions can be fried in less oil. I can eat low fat cakes and low fat ice cream. I am also careful when we eat out, to ensure that salad dressings are on the side, not all over the salad, also I don't have rich sauces with Indian food, I tend to have dry chicken tikka or Tandoori chicken. With Chinese food, I only eat that at home now, as I don't use much oil to fry the vegetables. And instead of cream in sauces, I use low fat fromage frais. It's a varied diet that is very easy to stick to, in just over a year I have lost enough weight to feel healthy, and I never feel tempted to eat huge lumps of cheese, or large cream cakes. I also eat more fibre now, by snacking on raisins, fruit or sesame crispbread. Chewing gum can also help with snack cravings, just as it sometimes helps smokers who are trying to give up.
I have also varied my exercise routine now. First it was just swimming (not always good if the pool was crowded), then swimming alternated with aerobics. Now I have joined the gym, and go five days a week. I rather like the big machines with their LED displays and encouraging messages on screen. The "cross trainer" is not unlike playing on a large skiing game in an amusement arcade, except that you jog on the foot platforms, or pedal them backwards. It works up even more of a sweat than the bikes or the treadmill. Then I use weight machines which work the arms and legs. And sometimes I swim afterwards, to "warm down".
The gym sessions are made more interesting by the small TVs, which show videos from a music channel. So you forget about feeling tired and move in time to the music, watching the videos. Before you know it, your routine is done. I am not a sporty person at all, but have found being a member of a gym to be fun and sociable, as other members begin to know my face, they talk to me.
In the summer of next year I should be able to wear a crop top without worrying about cellulite. The gym helps to get weight down and keep it stable, while firming everything up.
I might write an article soon about losing weight without too much hassle or deprivation. It will cover some of the things mentioned here, but with more specific ideas for interesting, spicy recipes which won't be fattening.
A diet is forever, not just after Christmas.
Sara signing off....
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More Blogs by Sara L Russell
• Can't sleep... so here's a blog about art. - Sunday, May 09, 2004
• Birthday Blog... - Sunday, October 12, 2003
• A healthier lifestyle. - Saturday, September 27, 2003
• What Is Dis Ting Called Blog? - Wednesday, July 02, 2003
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